For CM Patel, it’s first busy Rakshabandhan

Modi, her predecessor in Gujarat was visited by women in large number with rakhi and their well wishes.

Chief Minister Anandi Patel greets Amit Shah after he was formally announced as BJP chief at the party’s National Council meet in New Delhi on Saturday. (Source: PTI)

After tying rakhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in advance on Friday, Chief Minister Anandi Patel on Sunday is going to observe the Rakshabandhan festival with the police force by tying sacred thread to the men in khahi, who provides security cover to the citizens.

By the end of the week, Patel – who was in previous years seen observing Rakshabandhan only with Modi – will dispatch nearly 15,000 rakhis in her name to all the sarpanchs, panchayat staffs, talaties, ministers and MLAs in her government on the occasion. While she has invited some 500 physically-challenged children associated with various organisation at ministers’ enclave on Sunday to mark the day, she herself will visit Adalaj police station and wish for the safety of policemen by presenting rakhis to the staff.

Modi, her predecessor in Gujarat, during his tenure of past 13 years, was visited by women in large number with rakhi and their well wishes for the CM.

In later part of the day, Patel will visit displaced women and mothers in beggar’s home in Dabhala village in Gandhinagar.
Earlier on Friday, Patel also marked the festival of love and duty between brother and sister by tying Rakhi to with Union Ministers including Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar and Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal and exchanged good wishes with them.

In a bid to what has been touted as effort to strengthen bond with panchayats, Patel has dispatched rakhis ahead of Rakshabandhan to 14, 000 gram panchayats across the state.

An envelop in festive colours and design and with CM picture has a Rakhi and a written message signed by Patel has been specially prepared and dispatched in bulk.

The sources, however, said that administration was clueless about how to treat panchayats with woman sarpanchs. It has been seen as Patel’s continuation of efforts to strengthen the bond with rural areas.

Earlier, she had announced to take annual Chintan Shibir to taluka level. So far, it was held with ministers and IAS and IPS officers.